Blackhawk Aerospace has completed baseline flight testing for its new Pilatus PC-12 engine upgrade program, the company announced at the 2022 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE). The XP67P Engine+ Upgrade program will replace the PC-12’s stock Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B engine with a factory-new PT6A-67P, which offers higher internal turbine temperature (ITT) limitations and produces 142 more thermodynamic horsepower than the -67B. Blackhawk reports that it has received five deposits for the upgrade program so far.
“Pre-certification orders are an important metric for gauging how successful a new STC program will be,” said Blackhawk Aerospace President and CEO Jim Allmon. “Having five contracts in the pipeline prior to obtaining the STC serves as great supporting evidence for the fact that we have a fantastic program to offer the PC-12 market.”
According to Blackhawk, the engine swap will improve the PC-12’s power and performance, including allowing the aircraft to maintain full power to FL230 and increasing its climb rate by 25 percent. The company is expecting to receive STC approval from the FAA in the second quarter of 2023 with EASA approval anticipated shortly after. As previously reported by AVweb, Blackhawk launched the PC-12 engine upgrade program at NBAA-BACE last year.
